UNC Opera: Pre-Show Discussion

Nero was one of those figures you just love to hate. A true narcissist who was so bad at his job that the Roman Senate ordered that he be beaten to death – what a personal touch! Nero, in true form, was said to complain “Qualis artifex pereo” (What an artist dies in me)!

UNC-CH’s Opera presents the scandalous and salacious tale of Nero’s love affair with another man’s betrothed, Poppea, in Claudio Monteverdi’s final operatic masterpiece, L’incoronazione di Poppea (1643). The opera matches sumptuous music with political corruption, extra-marital affairs, attempted murder, rage against “fake news,” and a happy bride. Join Michael Carlson (UNC Music Department Ph.D. Candidate) for a short pre-opera discussion to explore the fascinating world of Baroque opera in Venice. We will look at how Monteverdi unfolds a political satire that would be ripped straight out of Twitter today by exploring some masterfully composed music that set the stage for the development of this strange but wonderful genre, opera.